The Lord of the Rings is an epic fantasy novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, set in the fictional world of Middle-earth. Written as a sequel to The Hobbit (1937), it developed into a much larger work connected with Tolkien’s wider mythology. Although commonly described as a trilogy, Tolkien conceived it as a single novel; because of its length and the costs of post-war publishing, it was issued in three volumes: The Fellowship of the Ring (1954), The Two Towers (1954) and The Return of the King (1955).

The story follows the hobbit Frodo Baggins, who inherits the One Ring, an object of immense power created by the Dark Lord Sauron. Frodo is charged with destroying the Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor, the only place where it can be unmade. He is initially accompanied by the Fellowship of the Ring, whose members include Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and three other hobbits. The narrative combines Frodo’s journey with a wider war against Sauron and the restoration of Aragorn as king.

Tolkien began writing the work in 1937 and completed the main text by the end of the 1940s, continuing to revise its extensive appendices, chronologies, invented languages and historical background before publication. The novel drew heavily on Tolkien’s knowledge of medieval literature, Germanic and Norse traditions, philology and mythology, while forming part of his much larger fictional history of Middle-earth.

Legacy and influence

The Lord of the Rings became one of the most influential works of modern fantasy literature. Its detailed secondary world, invented histories and languages, quest narrative and depiction of peoples such as elves, dwarves, orcs and hobbits contributed to conventions that became widespread in later fantasy. Its influence extended beyond literature into film, video games and tabletop role-playing games.

The novel was particularly important to the culture surrounding Dungeons & Dragons, first published in 1974 by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. Early versions of the game contained several elements closely associated with Tolkien, including hobbits, ents and balrogs, although some names were later changed to terms such as “halfling”, “treant” and “balor”. Gygax maintained that The Lord of the Rings was only one among many literary influences on the game, but acknowledged that Tolkien’s enormous popularity encouraged the inclusion of Tolkien-like material. The success of both works helped establish many of the conventions now associated with modern fantasy role-playing.

The novel has been adapted numerous times for radio, stage and screen. The most internationally successful adaptation was Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, consisting of The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003), which introduced Tolkien’s story to a new global audience.

Sources

  • Shippey, Tom. J. R. R. Tolkien: Author of the Century. London: HarperCollins, 2000. ISBN 0-261-10400-4. Scholarly study of Tolkien’s major works, with particular attention to the literary structure, themes and influence of The Lord of the Rings.

  • Drout, Michael D. C., ed. J. R. R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment. New York: Routledge, 2006. ISBN 978-0-415-96942-0. Academic reference work covering Tolkien’s writings, literary sources, reception and influence.

  • Tolkien Estate. “Biography: The Lord of the Rings.” Account of the writing and publication of the novel, including its development from a sequel to The Hobbit and publication in three volumes. Tolkien Estate

  • Tolkien Estate. “The Lord of the Rings.” Overview of the composition of the novel and the practical reasons for its publication in three volumes rather than as a trilogy. Tolkien Estate

  • Shippey, Tom. “The Lord of the Rings, Book of the Century.” The Tolkien Estate. Essay examining the novel’s literary form, reception and influence on later fantasy writers. Tolkien Estate

  • Gygax, Gary. “The Influence of J. R. R. Tolkien on the D&D and AD&D Games: Why Middle Earth Is Not Part of the Game World.” Dragon, no. 95, March 1985, pp. 12–13. Discussion by the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons of Tolkien’s influence on the game and the inclusion of Tolkien-derived elements in its early editions.